Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Chapter #20 Review

Flip Flopper

Written by: Brian Buccellato
Art by: Mike S. Miller, J. Nanjan and Wes Abbott
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: May 3, 2016

This last bunch of chapters of Injustice have all been about Bizarro and really, when he is going to die.  Superman has been trying to figure out who this doppelganger is, but really, the big question is how he came to be.  While Lex keeps talking out of the side of his mouth, we all know the truth and it's coming home to roost.  This all leads up to this chapter and after seeing last week's cliffhanger with Bizarro and Doomsday fighting it out, I couldn't wait to see what happens...even if I know it will all upset me.  So, here we go with my review of Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Chapter #20...


The issue doesn't start with the battle of the titans, but it certainly sets it up even more.  Superman finds out the what's what and heads off to the Fortress of Solitude.  When we do get to see Bizarro and Doomsday, the are beating the living shit out of each other.  Pardon my French, but they really are.

That's when we cut to Lex and Flash in Lex Corp and find out the single most important thing in the history of this chapter...Lex is in control of Doomsday.  Just think of that...Superman's most dangerous foe is being controlled by a guy who is pretending to be his best friend and at the moment is desperately trying to cover his tracks!

After Superman tells Lex he wants Bizarro alive, the issue goes back and forth between Lex and the Fortress and it is pretty intense.  I don't care if you know how the game ends and all that other crap, seeing Lex at the controls of Doomsday was awesome and had me on the edge of my seat.  The best thing that Buccellato does is give Lex a clear cut opportunity to be the one to end this war once and for all and then showing us the why and how he chooses what he chooses.  I'd say it's just Lex being Lex, but this was bigger and better than any Lex I have seen recently.

Of course, Lex can never play the hero for too long and here we see that he isn't really good at following orders...especially orders that incriminate himself.  Okay, you all should know what I'm getting at here and while I won't spoil it full out, the issue ends with Lex looking like he won't have to answer for the whole Bizarro thing after all.  It also ends with Superman continuing to look like the most naive superhero in the entire world!

This issue had to come eventually and quite frankly, I think Brian Buccellato threw it at us at just the right time.  Year Five is heating up and this issue gave us our blood, but also a look into the Regime's plans as well as a glimpse into Lex Luthor's mind.  The overall narrative still isn't going forward in leaps and bounds, but when this much happens in an issue, I could care less.

Mike S. Miller's art is good, but not great this issue.  It's one big fight scene, but it comes and goes way too fast because of it's mostly big panels and splash pages.  Because of that, it kind of loses the transition moments which causes the pacing to be off a bit.  I still loved seeing it, I just wish there was more to see.

Bits and Pieces:

I knew this moment would come and while it left me a bit sad, the issue was dominated by Lex Luthor.  Buccellato shows him as a villain and a hero all wrapped up into one and while he could have ended it all here, he allowed Superman to live another day.  That's not the case with everyone in this issue and while it looks like Lex is in the clear, I'm sure this will come back to bite him in the ass one way or another.  I liked the tense storytelling, but I wish the art could have done it's part to make this issue as epic as it should have been.

8.3/10